


An Act of True Love

by rumpledspinster



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, Dark Castle, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Siren, banshee - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-06
Updated: 2016-05-06
Packaged: 2018-06-06 17:34:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6763558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rumpledspinster/pseuds/rumpledspinster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rumple believes Belle to be dead in the aftermath of her expulsion from the dark castle. In an attempt at distraction, Rumple accepts a deal in which he rids a forest of a terrible beast only to discover that Belle may yet be saved, if only she will let him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Act of True Love

My power means more to me than you. The words replayed in his head and the look on her face… Rumple tried to focus on his spinning, but thoughts of Belle wouldn’t let him go. Regina had said she had died. He didn’t want to believe it, but it must be true. After all he had searched for her and could find no trace. 

Rumple decided he would focus on some mundane task, a simple deal, and perhaps that would give him some peace from his thoughts. He looked through a stack of desperate pleas written on parchment upon a nearby table and chose one that sounded interesting. A village had summoned him to rid their forest of a terrible beast that is killing anyone who attempts to pass through it. The village is only able to pay him in some grain, fruit, and sheep; but the distraction alone would be worth it. With his mind made up he sets off. 

It is night and a full moon above shines down illuminating the forest in an eerie blue glow. Rumple is making his way to the heart of this forest listening closely for any sign of a fearsome beast, but hearing only the gentle breeze blowing through the leaves on the trees and his soft footfalls. At last he comes to a clearing where a lake shines like diamonds in the moonlight. There is a solitary figure standing in the middle of the lake, a woman with chestnut curls cascading down her back. He can’t see her face, but his heart hitches at the sight of her. She seems to be bathing alone in the cold water, for Rumple senses that there is no one else for miles. He warily approaches the lake as the woman turns around. Belle! Rumple can scarcely believe his eyes. It must be a trick; this can’t be real he tells himself as the woman walks toward him through the water. She is in front of him now and he stands transfixed as she reaches out a delicate hand to his cheek. He leans into her soft touch as he whispers, “Belle.” She smiles as she pulls him in for a kiss. Their lips meet and Rumple freezes; this isn’t right. Rumple pushes the woman off of him and is surprised to find that she is stronger than she looks. A siren! Faster than the siren can flee, Rumple holds her firm with magic and begins to choke the life out of her. Her eyes bulge and water as she rasps and struggles to speak, “Wait! Please! I can tell you where she is!”

 

Rumple was intrigued, but cautious as he stopped choking her without loosening his grip. “Tell me what you know and I’ll consider sparing you.”

“Sirens can see the past and future. I glimpsed your past as you walked through the forest; that is how I knew to take the form of your beloved. I also know that despite your powers, you cannot see your own future or the ones of those closest to you. Spare me and I will give you information about Belle’s present and future.”

Rumple is furious at being tricked and suspects that this may be another attempt at trickery, but if there is even the smallest chance that Belle is still alive he must know. “Give me the information and I will spare you, but if I find that you are lying I will come back here and make you wish that kill you is all I’d done!”

The siren shuddered at his words, and nodded. “You believe your Belle to be dead, but that is not the case; though she isn’t exactly alive either.” 

Rumple snarled and was about to throttle her as she quickly continued. “Your beloved is a member of the undead. The time she has spent with you left a magical trace upon her. After you cast her out she was determined to make her way back to you and convince you of her love, but she was captured and handed over to the fanatical clerics of the moors. They tortured her physically and mentally. The magical traces within her fed on her emotions; her pain, sadness, her love for you, and the heart crushing pain of your rejection. The magic caused her to change into a banshee.”

Rumple looked confused and horrified, “No…no that’s not possible,” but even as he said the words he knew that he was trying to comfort himself into thinking what the siren was saying was untrue because he couldn’t bear the thought of Belle in eternal pain.

The siren continued, “I speak the truth, she is cursed to walk the earth as a physical incarnation of pain and suffering. At this moment her cries echo through the treacherous dark mountains to the north. You need only go there and summon her to you.”

Rumple felt himself begin to shake with fear, anger, sadness… He quickly released the siren and in a puff of smoke apparated to the foyer of the Dark Castle. He fell upon the cold marble floor and sobbed. Because he was so unwilling to allow her to break his curse, the magical forces at work in the world had deemed that she should be cursed. Rumple was distraught, he could feel himself on the verge of breaking down entirely. No! He must save her! 

Rumple rushed to his workshop and began to frantically search through his private library for any information on banshees. To his great relief he discovered that there are two kinds of banshees, dead and undead; and that the undead may be saved by an act of true love. With that piece of information, Rumple set off for the dark mountains that surrounded his castle. 

Rumple had been searching for hours in the bitter cold crying out Belle’s name into the biting wind. All of a sudden he saw a flash of chestnut hair whipping in the distance obscured by a flurry of snow. Rumple called out, “Belle! I love you! I’m sorry! Please!”

The figure turned and slowly approached. Rumple felt his chest tighten as he saw that it was indeed Belle in a tattered and bloodied shift looking cadaverously pale and withered with sunken eyes rimmed in red with dark circles. She reached out a hand to him, he took it and shivered at how cold she felt. He nodded pitifully as he spoke, “Let me take you home, please?”

Belle nodded sadly and Rumple apparated them into the great hall of the dark castle. With a thought the fireplace jumped to life illuminating the room in a warm glow. 

 

“You have to kill me Rumple.” Belle’s voice was cold and calm as if she had simply asked him to open a window. 

Rumple looked at her in dumbstruck horror, “No…no, I brought you here to save you.”

Belle looked through him unblinking, “You can’t save me, but you can rip my heart out and burn it.”

Rumple began to shake in his horror and sadness. “Never! I love you sweetheart! I should never have sent you away, but I was afraid…”

Belle lowered her head, “My power means more to me than you.”

Rumple put his hands on her shoulders pulling her toward him, “I didn’t mean that! I…I need you Belle.”

 

Belle reached out and rested a hand upon his chest. He could feel the cold of it through his dragon hide and it sent a shiver through him. “You did mean it Rumple. Your son is important to you and you believe that you can’t get back to him without your magic. You put him before me; I don’t blame you for that. Perhaps I am asking too much of you to end my existence. I suppose I deserve this curse.”

Rumple pulled Belle close and pressed his lips to hers in a kiss. He focused his mind on his love for Belle and let it wash over him as he deepened the kiss, but all too soon Belle pulled away and to Rumple’s dismay she was unchanged. “I don’t understand. True love’s kiss should have worked.”

Belle smiled sadly, “Only if one is willing to give up their curse. You refused to let it work when I kissed you and now I’m refusing to let it work.”

Rumple was hurt and dismayed, “I can save you Belle! Please just let me.”

Belle lowered her head once more, “No. I will not let you throw your power away for me. You fought my love at every turn and denied it at every opportunity, yet I continued to hope, continued to push. You were my happy ever after Rumple, but it took you shutting me out to realize I’m not yours.” With that said Belle turned to leave. 

 

Rumple felt as if his very soul had been stabbed. Even with his power it was a long shot that he would ever get back to Bae, and if he did could he face him? He could hear Bae’s voice shouting at him in his thoughts, “You’re still a monster. You’ll never change.” Rumple summoned the dark one dagger, the firelight glinting off of his name and prepared to stab himself in the heart. 

 

Banshees can sense impending death, often warning the living of it, so as soon as Rumple made his dark decision Belle knew what was about to happen. Belle turned back toward Rumple and at unimaginable speed ran into the arm that held the dagger and put herself between it and Rumple. Rumple didn’t have time to register what was happening as he felt Belle’s back against his chest and the dagger make contact with something soft and yielding. Belle keened as she slumped against Rumple, her legs giving way as her arms fell limply at her sides. Rumple looked upon her in horror as life blushed beneath her skin as her curse was broken and her hot blood flowed over his hand and the hilt of the dagger. 

“Belle! No, no…” Rumple sobbed and gasped for air as he pulled the blade from where it had stabbed her just below her rib cage. Her blood gleamed like liquid rubies as it flowed over the letters of his name. He cast the blade away in disgust as he attempted to heal her wound. He was making progress, but he could feel Belle still slipping away from him. “Stay with me Belle! Oh gods please! Please don’t leave me!” He could feel hot tears streaming down his face as he pleaded and pulsed magic within her wee frame. 

Belle looked up at him in wonder as she whispered, “An act of true love… I couldn’t let you die. I love you too much.” With that said Belle closed her eyes and drifted into unconsciousness.

Rumple had been able to heal Belle’s wound, but she had lost quite a bit of blood leaving her unconscious and weak. Rumple had lovingly cradled her in his arms and bathed her letting his eyes linger momentarily on the scars from the treatment she had endured at the hands of the clerics and his blood boiled as his mind imagined them at work and his beloved Belle in pain; he would make them pay. He dressed her in a soft silk gown in a shade of blue to match her eyes and lay her upon his plush bed. He made her sugary tea and dribbled it into her mouth a spoonful at a time until finally her eyes opened slowly and settled on his face. 

“Why am I not dead?” Belle’s voice was calm and clear as she lay still upon the bed.

Rumple smiled in relief at seeing her awake, “because I wouldn’t let you. After all, you promised me forever.”

Belle smiled, “I suppose I did.”


End file.
